Besides, the box comes with Ravage.

Eric: I'm torn between a serene "here's some news that might interest you" and "OMGWTFLOLBBQ" for a title to this post. I think I'll just go with "wow."

So, in the last twenty four hours, a really big thing has happened in my life. A monumental thing. A huge thing.

Weirdly enough, it could also be construed as a big deal in webcomics.

And, among other things, it means some things over here at Websnark are going to change. At least where my involvement is... er... involved.

Yesterday, after my various posts, I received an offer. I have now accepted that offer.

Over the next month or so, I am going to be the new editor of Modern Tales.

Joey Manley is not going to the sea, mind. And bear in mind, this is Modern Tales, we're talking about. Not "The Modern Tales Family." I'm not taking over Graphic Smash, Serializer.net, or Girlamatic. However, things have been changing in the Manley empire for some time. Webcomics Nation has launched, and done well. Manley's priorities are changing.

And at the same time, Webcomics on the internet have also changed and evolved. We're not where we were in 2002. And so sites like Modern Tales have to evolve and change. Manley has some really, really good ideas for doing that change.

And he wants me to be part of it.

As editor, I'll be doing all the fun whip cracking. I'll also have a chance to shape the forward evolution. Part of my responsibilities will be submissions, acquisition and recruitment. My tastes and my biases will help shape the site as a whole, and what you will read there. And I sincerely hope you will be there.

But of course things are going to change. If there's one truth that came out of the Fleen debate from earlier, it's that we need to understand what biases and influences are going to shape a critic's opinions. As of this moment, I can't write anything about a Modern Tales comic without you knowing that I'm the editor. It's unethical to do otherwise. And you have to balance my thesis with the knowledge that I have a direct stake in the success of that strip.

Further, a number of webcomics creators are going to submit strips to me, in hopes of making it to Modern Tales. And, well, I'm not going to say "yes" to all of them. Or, reasonably, to most of them. If you think for one New York Minute that's not going to influence how those creators look at me, you've never gotten a rejection slip.

And, some people are going to declare I've sold out and gone to the devil. Others are going to declare that Modern Tales has gone to Hell and I'm the gatekeeper. There will be Drama.

I have credibility right now. The only way I can maintain that credibility is if I be straight with all of you. This is literally the first post I've made since accepting this position, and I'm letting all of you know what's going on. And I'm really, really thrilled. I hope most of you are happy for me. And those who aren't, I hope will still be cheerful.

As for things moving forward, MT wise? Watch for announcements. Comixpedia's a good place for that. I really don't intend to make Websnark an organ for distributing Modern Tales stuff. This site is remaining independent of MT. Wednesday's status isn't changing. (And I had to discuss this with her first, among other reasons because it would have a direct impact on Websnark, and I needed her okay before I could move forward.)

This also means some of my online habits need to change. I mean, I'm becoming an editor. A submissions editor. Naturally, some people are going to want to take any in they can find to... well, submit things. I can't be quite as open and accepting of stuff this way.

For the record? Submissions will be open soon, but are not open yet. I just got the job. I haven't sharpened my pencils yet. More news as events warrant. Watch MT for details.

Finally, I'm excited and a bit daunted on another level. See, I've been doing the Op/Ed thing for a year and a half. I've had my theories and my theses. I've put forth my opinions.

And now? I get to put up or shut up. I've talked the talk. Now I have the walk in front of me. That's frightening. It's also thrilling. I can't wait to get started.

To sum up?

Wow.

Wow.

Thank you, and good night.

Posted by Eric Burns-White at December 30, 2005 3:48 PM

Comments

Comment from: vilious posted at December 30, 2005 4:17 PM

Congratulations. Too few people get to do what they love for money.

We will see less of you at Websnark, since there is only so much time in a day, and that is sad. On the other hand, you will learn new stuff, and be excited about it, and this will make for good writing. I'm looking forward to reading it.

Congrats, Eric. I'm sure you'll help revitalize Modern Tales, which I've sensed has been fading a little. To be honest, I sometimes wondered what would happen when Narbonic finally ended, unless you managed to rope Shaenon Garrity into a new comic series also on Modern Tales.

And it's a shame. I'll admit, I've not really looked deep into the MT pool... I joined because of two comics, both of whom have since left MT. Many of the other comics just... don't seen to catch my attention. Though I'm finally looking further into them to see what they're about.

Congratulations on doing what you trained for, my friend. And who knows... maybe in time you can do this full-time. ;)

Comment from: Robotech_Master posted at December 30, 2005 4:24 PM

Wait... I thought MOdern Tales was already completely demolished and went down in a flaming ball of hot fire with just about any kind of subscription system dreams?

Eric! Your time and energy would be better spent organizing a print magazine about webcomics and getting the word out in people's hands about webcomics, with a supberb staff of writers and contributers.

Dammit. I want you to do that! WHY DON'T YOU JUST DO WHAT I SAY!!!!??

hahaha

seriously... good luck with that beaten horse. I'm looking forward to seeing what you can do with it.

Exciting stuff. Happy for ya. I've been getting the sense that you've been twitchy for something different for a while. Now, you have it! Woohoo!

Comment from: quiller posted at December 30, 2005 5:38 PM

Well I sincerely doubt I'll ever get paid in my degree with a Bachelor in Physics, so congrats on that. I hope the new venture works out for you and doesn't detract too much from your other ventures (Like those Gossamer Commons and Stark comics that have remained unupdated. I'm sure you've got reasons and have probably said them someplace, but it kind of sucks to have the Solstice story get stalled in its prime season. I'm sure you think so, too.)

I'm sure you will want to figure out some policy on snarking Modern Tales comics from now on. I don't envy you on that, as you are undoubtably going to be reading a lot more Modern Tales comics now, and that alone may increase the number of snarks you'd want to make on them. I'm kind of guessing it will be a combination of adding disclaimers to MT snarks, and living with the drama.

Comment from: Dave Van Domelen posted at December 30, 2005 5:38 PM

This also means you're in charge of Donna Barr. Hope you survive the experience. :)

Eric! Your time and energy would be better spent organizing a print magazine about webcomics and getting the word out in people's hands about webcomics, with a supberb staff of writers and contributers.

Dammit. I want you to do that! WHY DON'T YOU JUST DO WHAT I SAY!!!!??

A print magazine on webcomics already exists. It's called Zoinks. And it has a superb staff of writers and contributors. But don't ask me about it. I'm biased since I'm one of the contributors. =D

And congratulations on the big move, Eric! Now you are the Gardner Dozois of the webcomics world! And that's a good thing!

Comment from: Aufero posted at December 30, 2005 7:01 PM

ZOinks says it's a bi monthly webcomic newspaper. At least in it's heading. I think of it more like a 'zine. Nothing wrong with that.

A full on magazine is a different Animal. Wizard started out as just a newsprint magazine, then took it to the next level.

Of course, Wizard now sucks.

Comment from: whymy posted at December 30, 2005 7:50 PM

See, good things happen when you become a Narbonic fanboy.

Comment from: Robert Hutchinson posted at December 30, 2005 8:45 PM

First, I will add onto the congratulations. Um ... congratulations.

Second, dj, I think that what you should be looking for in that regard are fewer super-editors, and more super-millionaires. Isn't the percentage of magazines that crumble within a year some horrendous number, like over 99%?

Third, I'm waiting to see how loose this discussion will get before I start making jokes about the size of Modern Tales editing paychecks.

Comment from: Fangz posted at December 30, 2005 8:48 PM

ZOinks says it's a bi monthly webcomic newspaper. At least in it's heading. I think of it more like a 'zine. Nothing wrong with that.

A full on magazine is a different Animal. Wizard started out as just a newsprint magazine, then took it to the next level.

Of course, Wizard now sucks.

That's why we need Zoinks to become more popular, get more recognition (and subscribers) so we can eventually make it a monthly or bi-weekly full-on magazine. That's the "dream world" golden brick road goal down the line. Right now, that's far too expensive a process for the chump change operation we've got going at the moment.

That's why we need people like YOU to get on board and help us gain some credibility! =D

Comment from: Joe Zabel posted at December 30, 2005 9:35 PM

Comment from: Dave Van Domelen posted at December 30, 2005 9:55 PM

I knew Weds was bookish, but HONESTLY. :)

Comment from: siwangmu posted at December 30, 2005 10:03 PM

Yeah, I just met her (I JUST MET WEDNESDAY I WIN AT LIFE! Also I met Ursula Vernon which is mind-blowing in a very different way that I can't reconcile into comparative needs for capitalization yet)(and I met other extremely nice people whose identites I cannot yet link up to the internet) and while she is ultrasupercool (and veryverypretty), she did not appear dictionary shaped. (And, yes, the piggybacking on the dictionary thing is mostly so I can be like I JUST MET WEDNESDAY!)

Seriously, Eric, congrats, even if you're not runnin' GS, you're at least in the same...err..."level of hell" probably isn't the right phrase at all, since I love bein' on GS, but it's all that's coming to me. Welcome!

I'm going to make a wild guess here, and say that this will be looked back at as the moment where Websnark jumps the shark.

I don't mean any offense by that, and I truly am happy for Eric. But seriously, he's going to start looking at everything differently. He's going to be professionally working with comics, which means that it's no longer his hobby. It's going to change things.

I sincerely hope that he manages to prove me wrong, and that Websnark will continue to improve as it has all along, but I'm going to throw my guess out there.

Prove me wrong, Eric. Prove me wrong.

Comment from: gwalla posted at December 30, 2005 10:21 PM

Only one word is appropriate for this occasion. Only one single word (with typographical emphasis) could possibly express the full import and impact of this development:

All I can say is, I'm going to do my best. And so, of course, is Weds.

And we'll see.

Comment from: Wednesday White posted at December 30, 2005 10:31 PM

Peter: Websnark jumped the shark a) when I joined, b) when Eric started Gossamer Commons, c) when everyone found it and it wasn't cool anymore, d) when Kurtz linked to it, e) two hours before Kurtz linked to it, f) THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE ONLY ANNOTATIONS KEPT IT REAL. :)

And here I thought Websnark jumped the shark when Eric and Wednesday finally admitted they were going out.

I just realized that I hadn't tipped my hat yet. Congrats, Eric.

And speaking of meeting - you're going to let me know when you're next in Boston, right, Eric? I need to still prove to you I can't taste tea.

Comment from: Robina_PA posted at December 31, 2005 12:01 AM

Congratulations, Eric!! As an English major myself, I know the feeling of getting a job that directly relates to my degree. (For me, it was technical writing for the past 6 years; now I'm switching to teaching ESL a few hours a week, to spend more time with my 2 boys under 2.) ::adds "Start reading Modern Tales" to 'To Do' list:: :)

As someone who only this year got to do what I like for money with my reporter/editorial cartoonist gig at the local paper, I know the thrill you are feeling. Congratulations and good luck!

Comment from: Wistful Dreamer posted at December 31, 2005 12:53 AM

Quick question Eric: This means that you have:
1) a full time day job (somehow involving both computers and schoolchildren, although how exactly isn't clear).
2) Two, count them, two (2) webcomics that you write.
3) One (that we know of) intercontinental romance.
4) Freelance work writing for RPG companies.
5) Minor through major health problems.
6) A livejournal.
7) A weblog.
8) Hundreds of webcomics plus dozens of other forms of media that we know you experience because you review them on said blog.
9) the requisite number of books, essays, journals and other writings that one undoubtedly peruses if one's an English major with a tendency towards analysis (and would need to to keep one's chops up).

So I'd be saying, "I keep squeezing the stone, but I'm not getting any more blood." If you can do it man do it, props to you. All I'm saying is that I couldn't.

Congrats, and I have to say (personally) I don't mind if this changes your view of webcomics. Changing and growing are good things. I just hope you keep writing so I can read about how you grow and how you change.

My God, Eric, what an honor! I'm so happy for you! I hope that you continue to be able to work doing the things that you love and (in the great tradition of thinking 'how will this affect ME?') I implore you, if I ever submit to Modern Tales, don't feel bad having to tell me to take a hike. I present it to you as your 'get out of jail free' card.

As for Websnark, I'm glad to hear you understand that there could be a change, and I'm glad you'll try your best to keep things going smoothly. I wish you the best of luck.

Summary: the new Modern Tales will be 80% free, advertising-supported. The other 20% of the site, the subscription-based part, will be exactly as it is today. I'll maintain control of that part of the site. Eric's charged with building the free part.

Joey
www.moderntales.com

Comment from: Dave Kellett posted at December 31, 2005 1:46 PM

Hot damn, this is great news! Congrats to Eric and Joey both. I'm excited to see where this leads.

...and dang it! Joey, I would've asked you a whole series of different questions for Monday's podcast had I known this! Ah well...

-Dave

Comment from: Tephlon posted at December 31, 2005 1:49 PM

Congratulations!

Comment from: joeymanley posted at December 31, 2005 1:51 PM

Dave:

When we had the conversation, I knew that I was going to ask Eric to do this, but I hadn't yet asked him.

You laugh! But when I complete my Garrity-o-matic Cloning Engine, I will have an army of Garritys writing, drawing, making insights! It will be MADNESS!

Comment from: Shaenon posted at December 31, 2005 2:22 PM

Joey asked me. I turned him down because I am not INSANE.

Seriously, I'm doing three comics right now, one daily, plus I have a fairly demanding Real Job. From my past experience as the editor of MT Longplay, I know I couldn't handle the entirety of Modern Tales without losing my mind.

But hey, I'm sure Eric will have fun! And not make any crazy-ass enemies! Congratulations, Eric!

Eric, Joey's just removed the major obstacle to me badgering you like everyone else shall. Watch your step, buddy.

Comment from: Denyer posted at December 31, 2005 6:21 PM

It's going to change things.

I don't understand where the notion that stasis is something to be aspired to comes from...

(Okay, I could conjecture: nostalgia, stability, a disinclination to think about the passage of time.)

He's going to be professionally working with comics, which means that it's no longer his hobby.

At what stage is this line crossed? Writing a webcomic? Selling merchandise? The distinction between hobby and profession is something some people obviously have an interest in... what's the reasoning? Can't we differentiate simply by whether we enjoy the end product?

It's been my experience that the line between hobbyist and pro gets crossed when people start earning money.

Comment from: J Ryan Beattie posted at January 1, 2006 2:15 AM

It's been my experience that the lane I switch to will invariably start moving slower than the other lanes. I'm not certain its relevance to this topic, but it's interesting nonetheless. A study may be in order.

It's been my experience that the line between hobbyist and pro gets crossed when people start earning money.

That's the definition they use in determining amateur status for the Olympics. But are you really a webcomics professional if all you're making off it is a coupla dollars in a month - or in a year - in checks from your collective, and haven't the slightest thought or possibility of quitting your day job for it? Take a Screen Actors' Guild member who made nineteen thousand dollars in 2005 waiting tables, and fifty acting on CSI; or an office clerk in Missouri who scored twenty dollars each on thirteen weekends doing puppet shows for kids' parties - which is a show business professional, if either? Why?

There's gray area.

Comment from: Denyer posted at January 1, 2006 1:27 PM

There's muchos gray area... though what I was wondering more is why people tend to come up with the chain of professional = nothing will be teh same!!1 / this A Bad Thing.

Possibly it's because they've been disappointed before, but possibly they're just echoing 'obvious' things passed on from others...

Many fiction fandoms (especially fantasy and science fiction ones) have authors who've made the transition to being paid to write or edit characters and settings of which they're fans.

Eric's written licensed Trek material... it doesn't seem to have affected his lack of enthusiasm for some Trek series. He write webcomics, which doesn't seem to have affect his enthusiasm for other webcomics. I can't see him having any problem being critical of comics that are part of the roster he'll be building... he may mention comics he reads often more than others, but how would that be different from the current state of affairs?

Calls for muchos benefit of doubt to go with that grey area, IMO.

Comment from: gwalla posted at January 1, 2006 8:09 PM

Paul: Do the Olympics even make that distinction anymore? I thought the IOC had relaxed that restriction in the late '80s or early '90s, which is what allowed the all-pro USA men's basketball "Dream Team" at Barcelona. I was under the impression that it was meant to balance the playing field for the capitalist countries, since several communist countries had been exploiting a loophole (their top athletes were officially "military personnel", but their "military duties" were sports training).

Even before the "loophole" that allowed them to be pros and still play in amateur games like the Olympics, they changed the rules to allow athletes to earn money via sponsorships, etc. The idea being that it wasn't fair for some countries' athletes to be completely state-supported, but for capitalist pigs like us to have to sell the farm to pay for training.